Henry isham



Y E.c XSHAM. OOMBINATOON OR PERMOTATION LOOK POR DOORS, SAFBS, BANK VAULTS, OC.

No, 27,294, Patented Feb. 28, 1860.

rr on.

HENRY ISHAM, OF NEV BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

LOCK.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No. 27,294, dated February 28, 1860.

T o @ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, H. Isl-mar, of New Britain, in the State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful improvements in Combination and Permutation Locks for Doors, Safes, Bank-Vaults, &c.; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a section of the lock taken in the plane of the axis of the key shaft; and Figs. 2, 3, 4. 5 and 6, sections taken at the lines A' o, Bib, C c, D CZ, and E c of Fig. 1

and looking in the direction of the indicatinO' arrows on Fig. l.

lhe same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

My said invention relates to that class of permutation locks in which what iay be termed the key remains at all times within the lock, and the leading object-s of my said invention are to avoid the possibility of feeling the position of the tumblers to discover the combination by which it was locked; to avoid the use of a key hole so that powder cannot be introduced within the lock to burst it open by explosion; to have the parts so arranged that force cannot be applied to the bolt to force it back until after the lock has be-en properly operated by the combination used in locking it; and to have the parts so arranged that the instrument by which the position of the tumblers is usually determined cannot be brought to act on more than one at a time, and so that the proper instrument for operating the bolt cannot act upon it until the proper distribution of the tumblers shall have been effected.

In the accompanying drawings a represents the bolt fitted to slide in a suitable lock case ZJ. The inner face of the bolt is reduced in thickness as at c to receive the rotating tumblers Z which turn freely on an arbor e that passes through a slot 7' in the bolt, and attached to or projecting from a plate g fitted to suit-able ways in the lock plate Zt so as to slide therein at right angles to the line of motion of the bolt. The said arber e with its plate g is operated by the form of the slot f in throwing the bolt in or out, and this is effected by having each end of the said slot parallel with the axis of the bolt, and one end above the other, and the intermediate or connecting part oblique. The object of the movement of the arbor e is to elevate all the tumblers by the throwing in of the bolt, that they may be disengaged from a series of cog wheels 2', and to depress them by the throwing out of the bolt, that they may become engaged with the said cog wheels t'. rfhe manner of distributing the tumblers and of operating the wheels t' will be described hereafter.

The lower edge of the bolt, toward the inner end, is peculiarly formed. It is made of two thicknesses j and Z; the lower edge of j being formed into rack teeth, and the lower edge of both straight, except in two places which are cut out in the form of a segment of a circle as at Z and m, the distance between the centers of these two segments being equal to the range of motion of the bolt, so that when the bolt is thrown out t-he segment Z shall correspond with or fit a part of the circumference of a cylinder a on the key shaft o connected with, and operated by the key handle p; and when the bolt is thrown in the other direction that the segment m shall bear the same relation to the said cylinder. As the periphery of the cylinder n fits into one or the other of the hollow segments Z or m cut out of the lower edge of the bolt, when eitherthrown in or out it will be obvious that the said cylinder cannot be inserted unless the bolt is in either one or the other of the positions named, and as this cylinder is connected with the key shaft operated in manner to be presently described, it will be seen that the key cannot be properly operated except when the bolt is thrown either entirely in or entirely out, and it will be equally obvious that when the said cylinder intersects that the bolt cannot be thrown, because the lower edge of the said bolt, forward and back of each of the recesses or segments Z, m, is below the upper part of the periphery of the cylinder. In this way the bolt except when thrown entirely in or out acts as a complete barrier to the operation of the cylinder, and the cylinder when partly inserted acts as a complete stop to the bolt to prevent it from being moved in or out. f

The said cylinder n and key shaft 0 are made in one piece or permanently attached to each other, and the cylinder is fitted to slide through a hole in the front plate ZL of the lock case, and in the hollow of a boss g attached to, or projecting from the front face of the said lock plate, and the outer end of the shaft is tted to turn and slide in a hollow cap or nut r attached to the boss Q. The inner end of the said key shaft 0 is fitted to turn in the central hole of what is termed the locking segment s, which is a cylinder of slightly greater diameter than the cylinder 'n and with a segment of its circumference t cogged. The non-cogged portion of its periphery is fitted to slide in a part u of the lock case which acts as a guide when the key shaft and its appendages are moved in and out. The said locking segment is feathered to its case to prevent it from turning with the key shaft 0. The said key shaft 0 carries permanently a cog wheel 'U of a given number of cogs, say twenty-eight. The pitch line of its cogs should be about equal in diameter to the diameter of the cylinder n to engage the cogs on the lower edge of the part j of the bolt, and between this cog wheel and the inner end of the cylinder n there is a space o sufficient to receive the part lc of the bolt, and to allow it to slide therein freely when the key shaft o and cylinder n are drawn out to the limit of their outward movement. In that condition of things the turningl of the key shaft 0 will.

tumblers are in the same plane, that is in their normal position, a stop x on the bolt will enter freely and permit the bolt to be thrown back, but when all the slots are not in their normal position, but are distributed the stop 0a will strike against the periphery of some one or more of the tumblers thereby preventing the bolt from being thrown back.

Just below the series of tumblers there is a corresponding number of cog wheels z' termed the tumbler .actuating wheels, which turn freely, but accurately on an arbor y projecting from the lock plate, so located that when the series of tumblers are let down to their lowest position, in throwing out the bolt, the cogs of each tumbler engage the cogs of the corresponding wheel z' in the series and when the tumblers are thrown up they are disengaged from the said wheels. Each of the said wheels z' has a concentric segment slot z, which, as the wheel is turned, works on a stud pin a projecting from the lock plate which pin acts as a stop to limit the extent of motion. The number of cogs corresponding with that slot is equal to the number in the wheel o, twenty-eight. The number of cogs beyond that is not material and the only object in the number 'corresponding with the segment slot is to admit of operating these wheels, and key shaft by which they are actuated, in either direction. The diameter and position of the said series of wheels z' is such that the cogs of the wheel o, as it is shifted along in the direct-ion of its axis by the key shaft will in succession engage the cogs of each wheel of the series for the purpose of turning them to the extent required. And in view of the position of the parts and the relative diameter 'of the wheel o, and the cylinder 1t the circle of the wheels z' extends within the circle of the cylinder n so that the cylinder could not be moved in the direction of its axis, were it not that the periphery of the said wheels is slightly cut out in two places, as at b b to fit the circumference of the cylinder to admit of the longitudinal motion of the cylinder when the said wheels are turned in either direction to the extent permitted by the segment slots?J and the stop pin a', in which cases the said wheels may be said to be in their normal position; but in any other position each in succession will prevent the inward progress of the cylinder n which is properly termed the key cylinder, as it is one of the appendages of the shaft 0. 1t follows also from the break in the periphery of the wheels z' and their relations to the key cylinder, that the said wheels cannot be turned out of their normal position until the cylinder n is drawn out, for until that takes place the periphery of the cylinder is within the periphery of the wheels and acts as a stop to prevent them from turning.

As the key shaft 0 with its cylinder n cog wheel o and locking segment s, are drawn outward the wheel /v in succession engages the several wheels of the series i so that each in succession can be turned to any extent desired within the limits of the slots a, and as the cylinder a leaves one of the wheels z' that it may be turned by the wheel o the said wheel o leaves another of the series which it has turned to the required extent, determinedby the permutation, and this is then to be locked and held in the new position. This locking is effected by the cogs of the locking segment s which enter the cogs of any one of the series of wheels z' as the wheel o leaves it, and as this locking segment cannot turn by reason of being feathered to the case in which itslides longitudinally, it follows that all .the wheels z' are locked as soon as they are put in position by the wheel o.

As each tumbler has a slot lw in it to receive the stop of the bolt when the bolt is thrown back, and the slots of all the tumblers must be in line, that is, in the normal position, before the bolt can be thrown back, so as to prevent the unlocking of the bolt by any but the permutation by which it was locked, it is necessary to distribute the slots of the several tumblers into different positions after the bolt has been thrown out, which can only be done by turning the several wheels of the series z' each to a different and determined dist-ance, for the tumblers can only be turned each by the corresponding wheel of the series z'.

With a view to a clear understanding of the operation, suppose the key to have been pushed in to the full extent, which can only be done by placing each of the wheels z' in one of its normal positions. In that condition of things the tumblers are not engaged with the series of wheels z', and the said wheels i are all in the position represented, that is, as far as the slots and stop pin a will permit. If the key with its appendages should now be drawn back, and the bolt thrown out the tumblers would have no effect on the locking of the bolt, for the tumblers would be all in their normal position when engaged with the series of wheels z' while they are in their normal position, but as the object is to distribute the tumblers that is to scatter them in different posit-ions after the bolt is thrown out it will be seen that it becomes necessary to turn the wheels 2f out of their normal condition before the bolt is thrown out. To make this clear suppose the first wheel z', beginning from the back, be turned in the direction the reverse of the arrow a distance equal to twenty cogs, and then locked by the locking segment s as the wheel QJ is shifted to the next wheel z' in the series by pulling the key shaft 0, and this second wheel is turned 15 cogs and locked, and, by the same means all the other wheels z' in succession are turned to a different and noted distance until the wheel u comes to and engages the rack y' on the bolt, and the bolt be then thrown out, the series of tumblers will become engaged with the series of wheels il by the very act of throwing out the bolt while the slots w of the tumblers are all in their normal positions. The bolt having been thrown .out and the tumblers engaged with the series of wheels z' the key is to be operated in the reverse direction to turn back each of the series of wheels t' in succession to its normal condition, and, as each had been turned to a different extent, by the very act of turning them back to their normal position they will turn the series of tumblers out of their normal position and each to a different eX- tent dependent upon the range of motion of the corresponding' wheel z', and in consequence of this the position of the slot in the several tumblers will be so distributed that they can never again be brought into the same plane to permit the bolt to be forced back except by again operating the key to turn the series of wheels to the condition in which they were when the tumblers were made to engage them by the throwing out of the bolt.

From the mode of operation above described it will be seen that it would be necessary to note and register accurately each turn of the key when distributing the wheels z' preparatory to throwing out the bolt and causing the tumblers to engage the wheels z', and to be careful to preserve this register and to follow it in unlocking, otherwise the tumblers could never be brought to the right or normal position for unlocking; to avoid this inconvenience I have invented a permutation register for the key which makes part of my said invention and which is constructed as follows: Within a cylindrical case c I have as many circular planchets d as there are wheels in the series z' and each having a number of cogs or notches on the periphery equal to the number of co-gs on the wheel o, the number in this instance being twenty-eight. The number of spaces between the cogs are lettered or numbered on the face of each planchetand the inner periphery of the cylindrical case is provided with a feather e to iit between any two cogs of each and all the said planchets. The inner face of the case is provided with a dovetail projection f which fits a corresponding socket on the outer end of the cap or nut r in which the key shaft plays, so that it can be readily put on and taken off, and the dovetail should be so shaped that when applied it shall not turn, and shall have the central hole in the plate g in line with the key shaft. The other or outer plate 71, of the case is hinged to give access to the planchets so that they can be readily taken out, shifted to change the permutation, and replaced. The planchets all have a central hole to receive, freely but accurately, the end of the key shaft 0, and the inner periphery of each planchet has a feather notch or groove z" to permit the passage of a spur j projecting from the periphery of the key shaft. Now it will be perceived that if the same numbered or lettered cog of each planchet CZ be applied to the fea-ther e in the case the feather grooves or notches z" of the several planchets will all be in line, and the key shaft with its spur j will be free to pass through the whole series of planchets; but if the planchets be distributed by applying to the feather in the oase a different Cog of each planchet, say 7c of the first, u of the second, and so on throughout the series, the feather notches z" in the inner periphery of the said planchets will all be out of line, and after the spur y" on the key shaft has passed the slot in one planchet the key shaft will have to be turned until the spur j is brought opposite the notch in the next planchet, and so on throughout the series. rlhis determines the extent to Which the key shaft will have to be turned to pass from one planchet to another throughout the series. The inner periphery of each planchet is beveled so that when all the planchets are in place they Will form a series of V shaped grooves in Which the spur on the key shaft can travel When the key shaft is turned, and the distance between these grooves is to be just equal to the distance the Wheel 'v must be moved to shift from one to another of the series of Wheels F rom the foregoing it Will be seen that this permutation key register, will determine the extent to which the key shaft shall be turned to turn each of the Wheels in ythe series z', and that Whatever permutation may be adopted in the distribution of the planchets in the key register Will determine the permutation to be imparted to the series of tumblers, for so long as this register is applied the key shaft With its appendages cannot be operated except as directed by it, and each of the Wheels e' in the series will be turned from its normal position just to the extent that the corresponding planchet in the key register has its feather groove set from the feather, and as the tumblers are engaged with the series of Wheels z' While the slots of the tumblers are in the normal state, the retrograde movement of the key shaft under the direction of the key register will bring back the Wheels c' to their normal position and in doing so distribute the slots according to the permutation of the `key register. And from all this it follows that the selfsame permutation in the said register will at all times so guide the key shaft as to restore the tumblers to their normal state to permit the bolt to be unlocked. And as the key register determines the motions to be imparted to the series of Wheels z' and thence to the tumblers the series of planchets in the key register can be arranged to any desired permutation before locking, and that permutation will be impressed o-n the tumblers.

The key shaft is to be operated by a key handle p Which may be of any desired form for convenience, and which in this instance is a button with a stem of the same size as the key shaft and attached to it by a dove-- tail tenon m', but Which may be attached in any other suitable manner.

I do not claim as of my invention the use of a shaft with a Wing on it having a rotary and a longitudinal movement to act on intermediate sliding tumblers to set the permutation in the act of locking; but limit my claim of invention to the combinations hereinafter specified.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The Wheel on the key shaft having a rotary movementand a longitudinal movement in the direction of its axis as described in combination with the series of tumblers and the series of interposed Wheels, substantially as described, and for the purpose described.

2. I also claim in combination with the series of Wheels which actuate the tumblers, and with the Wheel on the key shaft, the cylinder on the key shaft and the'locking segment, or either of them, the former operating as herein described to lock and hold the sai-d Wheels in their normal position, and they, when out of their normal position, acting as stops to prevent the inward movement of the said cylinder, as described; and the latter operating as herein described to lock the said wheels in the position in which they are set by the wheel on the key shaft, as described.

3. l also claim making the bolt With one or tive recesses in its edge tolit the periph` ery of the cylinder on the keyY shaft, and with a cogged and noncogged fillet by the side, in combination with the actuating or cog Wheel and cylinder on the key shaft, and the space between the two and the longitudinal movement of the Wheel and cylinder, as described, whereby the cylinder locks the bolt until, by the longitudinal movement, the cylinder is removed out of the path of the bolt and the Wheel is brought into gear with the rack on the bolt to operate it, as described.

HENRY SHAM.

litnesses F. H. NORTH, S. C. BELDEN. 

